NEWS
FEATURE
QUEENSLAND’S LARGEST CLUB
9
AUG/SEP 2016 THE ROAD AHEAD
LIFEFLIGHT
AT A GLANCE
u The LifeFlight fleet has 12
helicopters and three jets.
u LifeFlight services close to 85
percent of Queensland, covering
41 council regions in Queensland
and northern New South Wales.
u The three new AW 139s were
manufactured in the United States,
but the air medical emergency
services internal fit-out will be
performed by Caloundra company
Helimods. The helicopters and
medical fit-out total cost is just
under $60 million.
u The LifeFlight team of 400 people
includes aviation crew, support
staff and an aero-medical clinical
team of around 150 doctors, nurses
and paramedics.
u Rescue missions performed by
LifeFlight increased by 32 percent
in 2015/16.
u The top five mission types in
2015/16 were cardiac chest pains,
infections/serious illness, stroke/
head/brain injury, falls from ladders/
climbing, and respiratory conditions.
ThecarfromwhichGayelwasrescued.
Gayel S
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helicopters with specially-trained
crews based in seven locations
– Brisbane, Toowoomba, Roma,
Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg,
Gladstone and Mount Isa.
According to RACQ Executive
General Manager Advocacy Paul
Turner, the LifeFlight name change
was also necessary to reduce
confusion in the community with
CareFlight New South Wales – a
separate organisation and different
charity from CareFlight Queensland.
“CareFlight has established
an unparalleled reputation for its
lifesaving care over the past 35 years
and this name change to LifeFlight
will further enable them to stand on
their own feet in future,” he said.
“LifeFlight creates a unique identity
for Queensland’s incredible helicopter
rescue network, which will continue
to provide the same lifesaving service
to anyone, anywhere, anytime.”
And that’s something Gayel, like
thousands of Queenslanders, will
remain grateful for.
“I drove out the driveway that day
waving goodbye to everyone and in a
split second our lives changed,”
Gayel said.
“This service is definitely a lifeline
for rural hospitals and, as a patient,
you know you’re in the best hands.
“Keeping people alive is their
purpose every single day, so the name
LifeFlight is very appropriate.” n
YOUR PIECE OF CAREFLIGHT HISTORY
To commemorate CareFlight’s 35-year
history, the rescue service has struck
a special commemorative token. The
silver alloy collectible, produced by the
Royal Australian Mint, is a one-off and
available to RACQ members for a $35
donation to RACQ LifeFlight.
Your donation will support your
local community helicopter rescue
service and ensure LifeFlight can
keep saving lives.
To order your specially designed,
limited-edition token, in RACQ
CareFlight packaging, please phone
1800 630 014, or visit lifeflightrescue.
org.au/token.
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